Going into Dega: JR. and Stewart Clash?

By @GucciardoJoey

(Photo CREDIT: @TalladegaSuperS)

Well, we're heading to Talladega Superspeedway, the home of the world-famous "Big One" wreck.

We head into this weekend with Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart being a little pissed at each other.

Why? Because of an incident at Richmond International Speedway this past weekend.

Here's what Dale Earnhardt JR. had to say.

"Well, it's never his fault. I was doing everything I needed to do. I didn't drive under, I didn't drive into him, I didn't move my line at all. He's gotta take a little ownership in what happened there."

Wow, sounds like Earnhardt Jr. is blaming Stewart, huh?

Well, we head to Talladega, which has a history of fights and close finishes. Could we possibly see a rematch between Stewart and Jr.?

Each driver blamed each other. Here's what Stewart said over his team radio: "F***ing Dale Jr."

Yes, those were Stewart's exact words.

Now, the fact that these two drivers, two of the most known NASCAR drivers, being in a heated rivalry like this, should know that anything they pull off at Dega could cost others, like... maybe... a Big One?

You all remember Stewart's 2012 wild ride at Dega.

Yes, that's Tony Stewart at Talladega Superspeedway
in 2012. His car is the one that is on its side and
airborne

Yeah, this was pretty crazy, and I'm sure Dale Earnhardt JR. was in that wreck too right? Oh yeah, he was, he was crammed in there between David Gilliland in the No. 34 car, Paul Menard in the No. 27, and Casey Mears in the No. 13, not to mention Clint Bowyer in the No. 15, as well as Kurt Busch, who at that time drove the No. 78 car (now drives the No. 41), and, of course, Tony Stewart in that sideways No. 14 car.

But I doubt that this wreck would have any impact of anything.

Everyone should look to see if Dale Earnhardt JR. and Tony Stewart have any conflict at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend.

Danica Patrick losing GoDaddy sponsor

By @GucciardoJoey

(Photo: NHMS)

Danica Patrick has made headlines again.

She will be losing her sponsorship with GoDaddy at the end of the 2015 season.

GoDaddy announced Wednesday (today) that they will NOT be sponsoring the 33 year old female driver in 2016.

This is also the last year of Patrick's 3-year contract with SHR (Stewart-HAAS Racing).

"I think initially the first thought is 'bad' because it feels like it's going away, but then I have to remember that it's not really going away for me, it's just going away in the way that it was," Patrick told USA TODAY Sports. "I really feel like there's really a lot of good work to do. We've really grown up together."

GoDaddy has been sponsoring Patrick since 2007 when she was in the IZOD IndyCar Series. It became her primary sponsor in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

It has been sponsoring her ever since then.

"I would love to be back at Stewart-Haas," Patrick said. "Stewart-Haas has said they would love to have me and obviously we would have to go and do some work and try and find a primary that's either willing to step up or come in. And so, we're working through that and all that has to happen first. We need to find sponsorship and then we can move forward with the rest of it. From everything I have heard and everything I feel, I absolutely want to move forward with Stewart-Haas." (According to USA TODAY Sports)

Patrick has used Aspen Dental and TaxACT as other sponsors in recent races.

Kurt Busch wins Toyota Owners 400.

By @GucciardoJoey

(Photo CREDIT: Kurt Busch)

Kurt Busch was suspended at the beginning of this season.

But now, he rallied back with a win today at Richmond Int'l Raceway.

Busch had a lot of pressure from his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick, who finished 2nd, but had been chasing after Hamlin the whole race.

Jimmie Johnson finished 3rd, followed by Jamie McMurray in 4th, and Joey Logano to round out the Top-5.

Busch led a personal career-high of 291 laps today. "This was a team win." Busch said over the team radio after the race.

Logano, who started on the pole, led the first 94 laps of this race.

Chase Elliott, who made his second-career Sprint Cup Series start, finished in 16th.

Denny Hamlin had a lot of lost ground in this race, en route to a 22nd place finish.

Kasey Kahne finished 6th, followed by Matt Kenseth, followed by Jeff Gordon, Clibt Bowyer and Martin Truex JR. to round out the Top-10.

Toyota Owners 400 Postponed.

By UNB! Staff

Here is a picture of the radar around the Richmond, VA
area from The Weather Channel.

Tonight's Toyota Owners 400 has been postponed to 1:00 PM E.T. tomorrow on FOX.

The race was supposed to be held tonight at 7:00 PM E.T., with the green flag being waved at 7:15 PM E.T.

SUNDAY looks better - rain diminishes towards afternoon see no reason why we don't race tomorrow #NASCAR
— Brian Neudorff (@NASCAR_WXMAN) April 25, 2015

Denny Hamlin leads all but to laps for Richmond win.

By @GucciardoJoey

Denny Hamlin in victory lane
at Richmond.
(Photo CREDIT: Steve Helber/AP)

Denny Hamlin led all of two laps to get the NASCAR XFINITY Series win at Richmond. Brian Scott and Elliott Sadler were the only other two lap leaders.

Joey Logano completed the fantastic feat last week at Bristol, where he led every single lap in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race to get the win. 

"It's been a great day obviously right from the very start. Our car had some great speed ad that's the key to victory. It's not tricks or anything like that. It's just you've got to have a fast car," Hamlin said. "They gave me something special tonight and we were able to dominate with it. You don't get these cars often."

This was Toyota's 100th victory in 281 races since they joined the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2007.

This victory also showed that Hamlin rebounded after having to be replaced by Erik Jones in last week's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol due to back pains. But Hamlin said he was "100 percent" and qualified on the pole to follow up with that.

Joey Logano finished 2nd, followed by Regan Smith, Erik Jones, and Chase Elliott to round out the Top-5.

Fire Engulfs during Toyota Owners 250 at Richmond

By @GucciardoJoey

(Photo CREDIT: Action Sports)

In tonight's Toyota Owners 250, a NASCAR XFINITY Series race, just past halfway, Brendan Gaughan's pit stall engulfed in flames.

A caution on lap 108 brought Gaughan into his pit stall. Gaughan's car burst into flames, and rear-tire changer Anthony O'Brien was surrounded by flames.

According to FOX Sports, O'Brien was able to disengage himself from the flaming car and was taken to the RIR Infield Care Center where he was reported awake and alert. All crewmembers wear fireproof suits and helmets.

NASCAR says two crew members from Gaughan’s team and one from Eric McClure’s team were transported to a local hospital.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 25, 2015

Matt Kenseth wins rain-delayed Bristol race.

By @GucciardoJoey

(Photo CREDIT: Getty Images)

Matt Kenseth hadn't won in 51 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, that was until this weekend. This was his 32nd career win in the series.

The Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up 2 Cancer was supposed to begin at 1 PM E.T. But, let's say that rain really, and I mean REALLY put this race on hold. The race was delayed by an hour. 22 laps were then run on the track, then three more stoppages occurred due to weather. One of them being four hours.

Jimmie Johnson kept giving Kenneth a run for his money, doing everything he could to get past Kenneth on the final green-white-checkered overtime finish. Johnson started in fourth on this restart, but quickly managed to get right up to second place. Kenneth held him off by 0.287 seconds at the finish.

Jeff Gordon finished second, followed by Ricky Stenhouse JR. in fourth, and Ryan Newman to round out the Top-5.

The final forty laps of the race featured many wrecks, one of them involving five cars.

Joey Logano Leads Every Lap at Bristol

By @GucciardoJoey

(Photo CREDIT: Mike Ehrmann: Getty Images)

Bristol, Tenn.--- Joey Logano just completely dominated the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 at Bristol today. This was his second victory of the NASCAR XFINITY Series season.

"I've never led every single lap in a race before. What a fast Discount Tire Ford. Gosh, this is fun. This is amazing. You're just waiting for something to go wrong. It's such a fast car. All those late cautions and all that stuff, you're just like 'Where am I just going to blow this thing?' Those are the ones you're just worried all race. What a fast car, perfect day." Logan said in Victory Lane.

Daniel Suarez, making his NASCAR XFINTY Series debut, finished second.

"This is great. Thank you guys, thank you very much. Thank you." Suarez said over his in-car radio after the race.

Chris Buescher finished 3rd, followed by pole-sitter Erik Jones in 4th, and Ty Dillon to round out the Top-5.

Chase Elliott finished 6th, followed by Kevin Harvick, Brian Scott, Brendan Gaughan, and Elliott Sadler to round out the Top-10.

Harvick would have had a better finishing position if he hadn't had a late pit-road speeding penalty on lap 174, sending him near the end of the field. He would finish 7th.

(Photo CREDIT: Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

There were 48 caution laps in today's race. The first caution was for Eric McClure when he spun on Lap 2.

There was one red-flag for J.J. Yelled who hit the outside wall in Turn 3. The front splitter of the car became lodged in the SAFER Barrier.

Congrats to Joey Logano on leading every lap in the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300!

Kyle Busch: INJURY UPDATE

(Photo CREDIT: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images North America)

By @GucciardoJoey

Kyle Busch invited the media for a press conference. He has not been racing in any NASCAR events due to an injury suffered during the NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway.

He had a compound fracture in his right leg, and a second compound fracture in his lower left foot.

Busch said that when he hit a wall with a force of 90 g, he said that "all the air left his body."

Busch also gave credit to the drivers that are replacing him in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I can't say enough for Matt Crafton and David Ragan to be able to step up in this situation."

He also gave an opinion of his Chase eligibility.

"Do I wish to be chase-eligible when I return? Of course, I would love to be." Busch then went on to say that he is unsure if he would be in the Top-30 in points, because one of the requirements for making the Chase is that you must be in the Top-30 in points. "I don't know if it's going to be 100 percent feasible. He then went on to say that he hopes that NASCAR takes into consideration that his team is a full-time team, and hopefully they would waive off the rule of he were to win a race.

Busch said that Tony Stewart was his first visitor in the hospital after the DAYTONA 500, and Stewart stayed there for nearly three hours.

Busch said that "I knew instantly my right leg broke" when he hit the wall.

Matt Crafton replaced Busch in the No. 18 car during the DAYTONA 50, which led to some substitute drivers in Ragan's No. 34 car at Front Row Motorsports.

Busch said that he "can't say I'm happy" that he hit a wall without a SAFER Barrier.

NASCAR had put a tire barrier where the crash occurred before the DAYTONA 500 the next day.

We wish Kyle Busch a speedy recovery, and best wishes to the entire Busch family.

Johnson wins the Duck Commander 500 at Texas

By @GucciardoJoey

Jimmie Johnson in victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway
(Photo CREDIT: Sarah Glenn/Getty Images)

I think +Jimmie Johnson is back in the game.

He won his first race of the Spring of 2015 last night at Texas Motor Speedway.

"The end of the race was nutty," said Johnson, who said he woke up sick Saturday morning and addressed the media post-race through a scratchy voice. "Those last three pit stops with the varied tire strategies, our car wasn't handling like it did when we were leading. The third one (on Lap 310), our car was really, really good and I was able to work our way forward. The No. 4 was having trouble with the No. 1 (of McMurray) and slid up…and I thought I had it under control. Just a lot of great racing; the (worn-out) surface of this racetrack allows that to happen." according to NASCAR.com.

Johnson scored his fifth win at Texas in last night's race, and his third in the last six starts there.

Johnson bumped himself up to 8th place on the all-time Sprint Cup Series wins list.

All-time premier series wins (according to NASCAR.com)

Rank	Driver	Wins
1.	Richard Petty	200
2.	David Pearson	105
3.	Jeff Gordon	92
4t.	Bobby Allison	84
4t.	Darrell Waltrip	84
6.	Cale Yarborough	83
7.	Dale Earnhardt	76
8.	Jimmie Johnson	72
9.	Rusty Wallace	55
10.	Lee Petty	54

Johnson, the six-time champion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, had to beat Kevin Harvick, who is the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, who finished 2nd. Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt JR. finished 3rd, followed by Joey Logano, and then Logano's Penske Racing teammate, and 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski to round out the top 5.

Johnson led 128 laps in this race. Kevin Harvick led nine different times to lead 96 laps.

"Johnson led on nine occasions for a race-high 128 laps to become the third driver to record wins in the spring and fall races at Texas, joining Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards, both of Joe Gibbs Racing." according to NASCAR.com.

Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson on your victory at Texas Motor Speedway!

Erik Jones wins the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300.

By @GucciardoJoey

Getty Images.

I think the NASCAR world is starting to believe that Erik Jones is ready for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

He won his first NASCAR XFINITY Series race last night at Texas Motor Speedway.

Jones, who is 18 years of age, had to hold off Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt JR. for the win the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300.

Jones' Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin finished in 7th, and his other JGR teammate, Daniel Suarez, finished in 18th.

Joe Gibbs, owner of JGR and former Washington Redskins coach, said "As you know, we don't push our drivers until they're ready, but Erik will be in a cup car kind of quick."

Jones also had tweeted back and forth between JR. and Keselowski, as they congratulated Jones on his win.

Jones started on the pole (1st place), and that's exactly where he finished.

Regan Smith finished 4th, followed by Austin Dillon, Darrell Wallace JR., Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Chris Buescher, and Brian Scott.

Chase Elliott To NOT Drive No. 24 in 2016 due to performance at Martinsville.

By @GucciardoJoey

Chase Elliott struggling during his 
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut this past 
weekend at Martinsville Speedway.
(Photo CREDIT: NASCAR.com)

Well, this was unexpected.

Rick Hendrick, Dale Earnhardt JR., and Chase Elliott held a press conference at the Hendrick Motorsports team shop in Charlotte, North Carolina where they delivered some news that shocked the NASCAR nation.

Chase Elliott, who was supposed to drive the No. 24 car starting in 2016 as a fill-in for Jeff Gordon, who will be retiring at the end of this season, will no longer be driving the car.

“It's not his finishing position, it's the fact that he had such a hard time keeping up with his competitors,” said Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick, “I personally don't think that he is ready for this responsibility, and the fact that it is the 24 that he's going to start driving, that's going to just put a lot of unneccessary attention on the kid. He's got talent, but I don't think he's ready for the Sprint Cup Series.”

Chase Elliott then spoke out and said this, “Obviously, i'm a little upset, but I think Rick Hendrick only wants what's best for his team, and if he doesn't think that I'm ready, then so be it. That just motivates me to try harder and harder. Me and my XFINITY Series team are gonna continue to go for our second XFINITY Series championship this year.”

It's actually pretty funny, how Elliott kept saying Nationwide instead of XFINITY, having to correct himself every time he said “Nationwide.”

“I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to the series' name change. It's harder if you actually a driver or a team member, because you say it so many time in a day that you forget that the name has changed.”

Dale Earnhardt JR. sounded pretty optimistic though.

“I had the talk with Elliott, about him not driving the 24, and he was upset, but he understood that Rick didn't think that he was ready, and he really impressed me with his ability to cope with this and his ability to shake it all off and keep his mind on the XFINITY Series season.

Elliott has NOT been withdrawn from the other NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races he was supposed to race in this season.

Rick Hendrick said that he has found another “replacement driver” for the No. 24 car starting in 2016. The driver, drumroll please, is GOTCHA REALGOOD, because if you fell for this, I have one thing to say to you, “APRIL FOOLS!”

Have a happy April Fools Day!